Front Load All-In-One Washer/Dryer Combo Reverse Airflow System

ABSTRACT

A combination washer/dryer including a tub. A heating circuit is positioned adjacent the tub. The heating circuit draws in drying air from adjacent the front end of the tub. The heating circuit has a duct system. The duct system moves drying air from an area adjacent the front of the tub to a rear end of the tub to enable the drying air to enter a rear end of a drum.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to household appliances and, more particularly, to a combination washer/dryer with a reverse drying circuit.

BACKGROUND

In current combination washers/dryers, the drying air is moved from the rear of the tub towards the front of the tub and into the front of the drum to dry the load. Thus, the airflow systems pull air from a condenser attached to the rear of the tub and direct the airflow through the bellows and into the load at the front of the drum. This prohibits a lint filter design that is consumer accessible for routine maintenance, much like a traditional dryer. In addition, it makes servicing of the lint filter or condenser extremely difficult, if not impossible. Accordingly, it would be desirable to have a combination washer/dryer that overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art.

Accordingly, the present disclosure provides the art with a washer/dryer combination that overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art. The present disclosure provides a combination washer/dryer that includes a drying air system that pulls from the bellows or door glass and pushes it into the load via the back of the tub and, in turn, the drum. In this way, the airflow is similar to that of a traditional dryer. That is, a lint filter can be positioned in front of the machine accessible to the user. Thus, air flow is, in turn, pushed into the clothes load through apertures in the rear panel of the drum.

SUMMARY

According to a first aspect of the disclosure, a combination washer/dryer combination comprises a tub and a heating circuit positioned adjacent the tub. The heating circuit draws in drying air from adjacent a front end of the tub. A duct system of the heating circuit moves the drying air to a rear end of the tub. This enables the drying air to enter into a rear end of the drum and ultimately into a clothes load to dry the load. The heating circuit includes a blower, a heater and duct system with an adapter enabling the duct system to couple with the tub. A lint filter is coupled with the heating circuit and positioned adjacent the front of the tub. A drum is rotatably positioned within the tub. The blower pulls in air into the combination washer/dryer at the front of the tub. The user has access to the lint filter at the front of the tub. A drying air flow path is in a reverse direction with respect to prior combination washers/dryers.

Accordingly to a second aspect of the disclosure, the combination washer/dryer comprises a cabinet including a door enabling access inside the cabinet. A drum and tub combination is positioned inside of the cabinet. A heating circuit is positioned adjacent the tub. The heating circuit draws in drying air from adjacent a front end of the tub. A duct system of the heating circuit moves the drying air to a rear end of the tub. This enables the drying air to enter into a rear end of the drum and ultimately into a clothes load to dry the load. The heating circuit includes a blower, a heater and duct system with an adapter enabling the duct system to couple with the tub. A lint filter is coupled with the heating circuit and positioned adjacent the front of the tub. A drum is rotatably positioned within the tub. The blower pulls in air into the combination washer/dryer at the front of the tub. The user has access to the lint filter at the front of the tub. A drying air flow path is in a reverse direction with respect to prior combination washers/dryers. The blower draws air from adjacent the door. The blower draws air into the lint filter through the duct system into the tub and exits through apertures in a rear panel of the drum. The drying air is pushed into a load as like a conventional dryer.

Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. The description and specific examples in this summary are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

DRAWINGS

The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected embodiments and not all possible implementations, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a combination washer/dryer.

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-section view of the washer/dryer of FIG. 1 .

Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Turning to the figures, a combination washer/dryer machine is illustrated and designated with the reference numeral 10. The combination washer/dryer machine 10 includes a cabinet 12 with a plurality of panel 14. The front panel 16 includes a door 18 to enable access into the combination washer/dryer machine 10. Controls 20 are positioned on the front panel 18. The control 20 controls the operation of the combination washer/dryer machine 10.

Turning to FIG. 2 , a cross-section of the washer/dryer machine 10 is schematically illustrated. The combination washer/dryer machine 10 includes a drum 30 rotationally positioned within a tub 32. The drum 30 is rotated, via a motor 34, and a shaft 36. A conventional washing circuit 38 provides for washing of clothes within the drum 30 and tub 22. A heating circuit 40 provides heat for drying the clothes within the drum 30.

The heating circuit 40 includes a duct system 42. The duct system 42 includes a blower 44, a heater 46, conduit 48, 50 as well as a lint trap 52. The duct system also includes a conduit 54 connected with an outlet 56. The conduit 52 includes an opening inlet 60. The inlet 60 is positioned adjacent to the bellows 62 or door 18. Thus, drying air is drawn into the heating circuit 40, via the inlet 60, near or adjacent the bellows 62 or door 18. A lint trap 52 may be positioned into the conduit 50. Also, the lint trap 52 could be positioned along the front panel 16 and be able to be withdrawn from the conduit 50 from the front panel 18.

The blower 44 is positioned in connection with the conduit 50. The blower 44 draws air from the inlet 60 around the bellows 62 or door 18 area of the cabinet 12 and tub 32. The air is drawn into the conduit 50, via the blower 44, and passed into the heater 46. The air is heated and passes out through the conduit 48 or adaptor that is in contact and connected with the tub 32. The tub 32 has an outlet 66 that enables the heated air to pass into the tub 32 into a gap 68 between the tub 32 and the drum 30. The heated air then passes through apertures 70 in the rear drum panel 72 into the drum 30. The air continues to circulate and may be drawn into the inlet 60 and pass through the heater 46 to recirculate and dry the load. Additionally, the tub 32 includes an exit conduit 54 that enables air to pass to ambient. A damper 80 or the like could be positioned in the conduit to control the amount of air exiting the drum 30 during the drying process.

In operation, the drying circuit 40 is initiated. Air is drawn in through the inlet 60 by the blower 44. The drawn in air is passed through the vent trap 52 and into the heater 46. The air is heated by the heater 46 and is passed into the conduit adapter 48 that is connected with an inlet 66 in the tub 32. The air passes into the gap 68 between the drum 30 and tub 32. The apertures 70 in the rear drum panel 72 enable the air to pass into the drum 30 like in a conventional dryer. Thus, the air is pulled from an area at the bellows 62 or door 18 and is pushed into the load, via the back panel 72 of the drum 30, like a traditional dryer.

The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure. Individual elements or features of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, where applicable, are interchangeable and can be used in a selected embodiment, even if not specifically shown or described. The same may also be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the disclosure. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A combination washer/dryer comprising: a tub; a heating circuit positioned adjacent the tub, the heating circuit drawing in drying air from adjacent the front end of the tub; a duct system in the heating circuit, the duct system moving drying air from the front end of the tub to a rear end of the tub to enable the drying air to enter a rear end of a drum.
 2. The combination washer/dryer of claim 1, the heating circuit further comprising a blower and a heater both coupled with the duct system.
 3. The combination washer/dryer of claim 1, wherein the duct system includes an adapter enabling the duct system to couple with the tub.
 4. The combination washer/dryer of claim 1, wherein a lint filter is coupled with the heating circuit adjacent the front of the tub.
 5. The combination washer/dryer of claim 1, wherein a drum is rotatably positioned in the tub.
 6. The combination washer/dryer of claim 1, wherein the heating circuit pulls in air into the combination washer/dryer at the front end of the tub.
 7. The combination washer/dryer of claim 4, wherein a user has access to the lint filter at the front end of the tub.
 8. The combination washer/dryer of claim 1, wherein drying air flow path is in a reverse direction with respect to prior combination washer/dryer.
 9. A combination washer/dryer comprising: a cabinet including a door enabling access inside the cabinet; a drum and tub positioned inside of the cabinet; a heating circuit positioned adjacent the tub, the heating circuit drawing in drying air from adjacent the door; a duct system in the heating circuit, the duct system moving drying air from an area adjacent the door to a rear end of the tub to enable the drying air to enter a rear end of the drum.
 10. The combination washer/dryer of claim 9, the heating circuit further comprising a blower and a heater both coupled with the duct system.
 11. The combination washer/dryer of claim 9, wherein the duct system includes an adapter enabling the duct system to couple with the tub.
 12. The combination washer/dryer of claim 9, wherein a lint filter is coupled with the blower adjacent the front of the tub.
 13. The combination washer/dryer of claim 9, wherein the heating circuit pulls in air into the combination washer/dryer at an area adjacent the door.
 14. The combination washer/dryer of claim 12, wherein a user has access to the lint filter at the front end of the tub.
 15. The combination washer/dryer of claim 9, wherein drying air flow path is in a reverse direction with respect to prior combination washer/dryer.
 16. The combination washer/dryer of claim 10, wherein the blower draws in air from an area adjacent the door.
 17. The combination washer/dryer of claim 10, wherein the blower draws air into the lint filter through the duct system into the tub and exit through apertures in a rear panel of the drum.
 18. The combination washer/dryer of claim 17, wherein the drying air is pushed into the drum and into a load as in a conventional dryer.
 19. The combination washer/dryer of claim 9, further comprising a washing circuit. 